Adam Jones

Jones continues to produce at a high level, yet he's seemingly always undervalued when drafts and auctions roll around. He hit 26 home runs last year, marking his seventh straight season with 25-plus ...

For years owners have been able to pencil in Jones for a batting average in the .280s, 25-30 home runs, 10-15 steals, 90-100 runs and 85-90 RBI. While he still delivered power, runs and RBI in 2016, he was a below league-average hitter (96 wRC+) for the first time since 2008, and stole fewer than five bases for the second year in a row. Projection systems will forecast a batting average in the .270 range rather than the .280 range. A trend of hitting more balls in the air and fewer on the ground has led to subpar batting averages on balls in play over the past two seasons, culminating in a 1.06 GB/FB last season, by far his lowest mark since 2007. Jones has been a nearly everyday player at a physically taxing position; that workload takes a toll, as we are similarly seeing with Andrew McCutchen. He needs to be viewed as a three-category player going forward.

2016

Despite his reputation for consistency, Jones had an up-and-down season in 2015. He dazzled fantasy owners by slashing .400/.440/.707 in April before following it up with .239/.272/.284 and just three extra-base hits in May. Jones rebounded before missing most of the last two weeks of the season with back spasms. He has not had a DL stint since 2009 and kept that streak intact thanks to September roster flexibility. His average dipped to a career-low (in qualifying seasons), but even that was not too far from the norm for his career. There was a time when Jones was an elite asset, but his days as a threat on the basepaths appear to be behind him. That said, Jones had a career-low 17.6% strikeout rate and maintained the power production in 2015, so there is still plenty to like.

2015

Jones remains one of the most consistent players in baseball, parlaying his tools into a sixth straight year of five-category production. While he has always been able to produce without drawing walks, Jones took fewer free passes than ever in 2014 (2.8% BB%). Fortunately, he didn't show any change in his strikeout rate, fanning at a 19.5% clip compared to a 19.4% career mark. Perhaps of some concern, Jones had a .709 OPS against right-handed pitching in 2014, but he offset that slide by demolishing left-handed pitching to the tune of a 1.003 mark. Even if he's unable to return to his pre-2014 norms against righties, Jones' durability and placement in the heart of the Baltimore lineup should make his decline a gradual one. The track record will place Jones among the league's top outfielders on draft day as a safe high-priced target. Don't be fooled, as there is actually some risk here as Jones approaches age 30 in August.

2014

Jones has turned into a model of consistency. You can pretty much count on a .280 average, 30 home runs and double-digt steals. Leagues that have OBP or OPS continue to suffer from Jones' inability to take walks, while his 0.18 BB/K ratio in 2013 was a career worst. Jones is entrenched in Baltimore's outfield for at least four more years and he is a very safe fantasy bet provided that he maintains the isolated power levels that he's displayed over the past two seasons (.218 and .208, respectively).

2013

Early in 2012, Jones drew Matt Kemp comparisons by hitting 16 home runs and stealing eight bases through the end of May. Those numbers ended up being exactly half his totals for the season, though he accomplished the first half in 51 games and the second half in 101 games. Though he topped 30 home runs for the first time in his career, Jones went more than 100 at-bats in a July-to-August stretch without a deep ball. However, Jones increased his line drive percentage (around 17 percent from 2008-2011) to 21.5 percent in 2012. At 27 years old, Jones is still in his prime and fully capable of providing a string of several 30-homer, 15-steal seasons.

2012

Jones hasn't yet blossomed into the full-blown star he looked like as a prospect, but he continues to be a productive center fielder. He set career highs with 25 home runs, 83 RBI and 12 stolen bases in 2011. Plate discipline continues to be a hindrance - his OBP was only .319 despite a .280 average - and that will continue to suppress his run totals, as he only scored 68 runs. Still, he provides excellent power and some speed at center field for Baltimore, and it's tough to ask for too much more.

2011

Jones virtually duplicated his 2009 season, but that isn't necessarily a good thing when you consider he played in 30 more games in 2010. At one time, Jones was considered to be a prolific power prospect, which might make his 19 home runs look like an underachievement. There were signs of growth in the second half of the season, when Jones delivered a .296/.355/.426 line in 230 at-bats after the All-Star break. Unfortunately, that was accompanied by a power outage (just five homers during that span). He's still just 25, however, and there's more upside here than you'll find in a typical middle-round outfielder on draft day.

2010

Jones took a monumental step forward in 2009 until an ankle injury forced him to miss the last month of the season. Injury aside, he still managed to win a Gold Glove. Jones cut down on his strikeouts and tapped into the power that made him such an electric prospect. If the trends serve him well, consistent 30-home run, 100-RBI seasons are on the horizon. Don't forget that he'll only turn 25 in August.

2009

Jones had all the makings of a power-hitting prospect when he came to the Orioles in the Erik Bedard deal, but he hit just nine home runs in 2008. He is overaggressive at the plate, drawing just 23 walks against 108 strikeouts in a season in which he missed nearly a month with a foot injury. Keep in mind that he did this mostly as a 22-year-old, turning 23 in August. There's plenty of raw talent here - it's just a matter of being patient enough to let it develop. He might not have the huge upside of Justin Upton, but in keeper leagues, this is a guy you want to target now, before he takes the leap.

2008

After destroying Triple-A pitching to the tune of .314/.382/.586 with 27 doubles and 25 homers in 101 games, Jones, the organization's top prospect, finally was called up in early August last season. He didn't get many chances, though, starting just 15 of 56 games after his promotion and getting fewer major league at-bats (65) than he did in 2006 (74). Jones won't sit much this year, though, as he's slated to start in right field. Jones, who had four multi-hit games and five extra-base hits, was a highly sought trade chip this offseason. If the Mariners move him, they'd have a big hole to fill in the outfield as they also chose not to re-sign Jose Guillen. Wherever Jones lands, he is a 20-homer threat and has speed too. His plate discipline is still worth keeping an eye on, though. While he improved his Triple-A walk rate from 6.8 percent in 2006 to 7.8 percent last season, his strikeout rate went the other way, from one per 4.8 at-bats in 2006 to one per 3.9 at-bats last year.

2007

The organization's top prospect, Jones made his major league debut last season but was overmatched to an extent when he wasn't a victim of manager Mike Hargrove's inconsistent lineups. Jones struggled at the plate and had his moments in center field, but that was to be expected as the Mariners promoted him a little earlier than expected. He is a legitimate 20-20 threat, at minimum, but likely will start the year back in Triple-A Tacoma for further development, especially with his plate discipline.

2006

Jones made huge progress last season, refining his swing and showing continued power development on his way to being named the Mariners minor league player of the year. He hit .297 with 15 homers, 66 RBI and 13 stolen bases between High-A Inland Empire and Double-A San Antonio. His plate discipline still needs some work (112/51 K/BB), though. After playing exclusively at shortstop, Jones moved to center field because of Yuniesky Betancourt. The switch went well in the Arizona Fall League where Jones showed a strong arm and good speed. He's among the system's top outfield prospects, and if he continues to hit, could get a late-season call-up.

2005

Seattle's 2003 first-round draft pick, Jones struggled early last season with his bat, and all season with his glove. Things finally came around at the plate late in the season at mid-level Single-A Wisconsin, but he still made 31 errors. The Mariners like Jones' potential, but the organization is stocked at shortstop. Top man Jose Lopez could move to third, but that still leaves Mike Morse, Matt Tuiasosopo and even Justin Leone to spar with.